History Of The NKY Jack Kaelin Freshman Regional Tournament

[Brcatz]

Does anyone have the Past Champions of this Tourney since it started by chance?

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Good luck finding the complete listing of champs...I think that job would most likely come down to word of mouth history.

The NKY Freshman Regional Tournament goes back to the 1950s. It moved to Cov Cath in 1970. Mr. Jack Kaelin had his hand in on running the tournament at Cov Cath from the get-go, and ran it virtually single-handedly from the mid-1970s up until 2007. They named the tournament after Mr. Kaelin in 2013.

Here's what I've got for you:

1969 - Covington Holy Cross
1975 - Covington Catholic
1977 - Holmes
1978 - Simon Kenton
1980 - Newport Catholic
1984 - Newport Central Catholic
1986 - Lloyd Memorial
1991 - Covington Catholic
1996 - Highlands
1999 - Covington Catholic
2003 - Covington Catholic
2007 - Covington Catholic
2011 - Covington Catholic
2012 - Covington Catholic
2013 - Simon Kenton
2014 - Covington Catholic
2015 - Covington Catholic
2016 - Covington Holy Cross
2017 - Covington Catholic

[Tones]

2003 Covington Catholic

[Runcible Owl]

1975 - Covington Catholic. Coach Mike Listerman's first team.

 

Defeated Lloyd Memorial 54-45.

 

Pretty sure Cov Cath stat man Rusty Schilling could verify this one.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

1975 - Covington Catholic. Coach Mike Listerman's first team.

 

Defeated Lloyd Memorial 54-45.

 

Pretty sure Cov Cath stat man Rusty Schilling could verify this one.

 

Thanks, RO.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Just had someone send me this:

 

1980 - Newport Catholic

Coach: Ron Dawn

Top Players: Steve Kroger, Tom Freppon, Tom Schmidt, Tom Messmer, Doug Miller, Jim Gish

[Ironlung]

1969 was Holy Cross coached by Ralph Kemphaus and Bill Frey

[NEERFAN]

1986 Simon Kenton

[Pete Mitchell]

1977 Holmes with Dicky Beal

1978 Simon Kenton (team that went on to win state in 1981)

 

Great tournament. I especially like that it has remained open to "traditional" 9th region teams like Campbell County, Scott, Simon Kenton and Walton Verona, who are no longer in the 9th region.

[Pete Mitchell]

1969 was Holy Cross coached by Ralph Kemphaus and Bill Frey

I was told Holy Cross's win in 2016 was their first ever frosh regional championship. But it sure makes sense that they would have won it in 1969, since they won the region in 1972 ... I think that banner is up at Holy Cross, but the players on that team escape me. Rump maybe? Fortner?

[Ironlung]

I was told Holy Cross's win in 2016 was their first ever frosh regional championship. But it sure makes sense that they would have won it in 1969, since they won the region in 1972 ... I think that banner is up at Holy Cross, but the players on that team escape me. Rump maybe? Fortner?

 

Dan Rassche, Joey Meier, Bob Strorer, Ken Vogelpohl, Skip Redmond, Bob List, Cecil Coker, Mike Deitz, Bob Fischer, Mike LaFever and Tom Schmidt come to mind. Interestingly enough, two stars of the '72 champs, who were undefeated in the 9th Region, were non factors as freshmen. Tom Schmidt was the last man on the freshman team and Dave Muck went to CCH his freshman year.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Colonels_Wear_Blue
Added in Quote

[Pete Mitchell]

I could use a little help, to be honest, discussing the Highlands frosh, but what I do know is contributors include Luke Muller, 8th grader Zach Barth, and Cam Hergott. Freshman Sam Vinson plays up, JV and varsity, and I know that that group had a successful middle school run, I believe going undefeated in the 6th grade and finishing as regional runners up the last 2 years. They will not have the size to match up to CCH, but they take care of the ball well and shoot it well, from what I've seen, so we'll see if they can manufacture some offense that way (Of course, in the past 10 years the only non-CCH winner, Holy Cross in 2016, led by Spencer Macke and Ty Houston, was seriously outsized as well and found a way to topple the Colonels). On the CCH side, I really like Murphy and Deere, haven't seen Eubank play enough to render an opinion, but I hear very good things.

 

Hope to see a competitive game. It doesn't sound like CCH has been seriously tested so far, so we will see.

 

I would say to both teams enjoy this tonight, win or lose, because this tournament is done right, with spotlight introductions, and the feel of a regional championship game. Its a little disappointing that it won't be on the Colonels radio network, I think that adds to the experience, but still one of my favorite tournaments at ANY level. I still remember being there more than 40 years ago ....

[Pete Mitchell]

My fault ... Simon Kenton won it in 2013. That would have been Cole Van Handorf's freshman year, and he started varsity on the state champion CCH team. I don't know if CCH got to the finals, and I don't recall who else in that class played then, but it shows how dominant that CCH has been that there have only been 2 teams other than CCH that have won that tournament the last 10 years.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

1969 - Covington Holy Cross
1975 - Covington Catholic
1977 - Holmes
1978 - Simon Kenton
1980 - Newport Catholic
1984 - Newport Central Catholic
1986 - Lloyd Memorial
1991 - Covington Catholic
1996 - Highlands
1999 - Covington Catholic
2003 - Covington Catholic
2007 - Covington Catholic
2011 - Covington Catholic
2012 - Covington Catholic
2013 - Simon Kenton
2014 - Covington Catholic
2015 - Covington Catholic
2016 - Covington Holy Cross
2017 - Covington Catholic

 

1962 - Boone County (beat Cov Cath in overtime)

[Pete Mitchell]

Just had someone send me this:

 

1980 - Newport Catholic

Coach: Ron Dawn

Top Players: Steve Kroger, Tom Freppon, Tom Schmidt, Tom Messmer, Doug Miller, Jim Gish

 

Jimmy Pangallo? Or was he 1981?